Cockroach Facts

Approximately 4000 species of cockroaches are found worldwide

and approximately 70 species are found within the United States. These species can pick up contaminates on their legs as they travel and transfer those contaminates on items we consume or use to consume our food leading to illnesses such as E Coli and Salmonella.

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Cockroaches have also been linked to allergy and asthma attacks from their droppings and molted exoskeletons especially in people more susceptible such as children.

Cockroach Species

Of the approximately 70 species of cockroaches found within the United States, there are 7 species that are most commonly encountered in the Knoxville, TN area.

German Cockroach (Blatella germanica)

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This is the most common species found infesting homes, restaurants, apartments, hotels and many other structures.

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Adult German cockroaches are 1/2 to 5/8 inches long with 2 parallel black bands on the back of the thorax. Although German cockroaches have wings, they do not fly. Nymphs are smaller than the adults and do not have wings.

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The German cockroach carries its egg capsule which allows a greater number of nymphs to hatch successfully. They produce a large number of eggs per capsule with the shortest time to sexual maturity. This allows the German cockroach population to explode in a short amount of time.

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German cockroaches are most active at night and prefer warm moist environments but can be seen during the day with higher populations. German cockroaches are most often encountered in kitchens and bathrooms, but can found in all areas of the structure as the population increases.

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American Cockroach(Periplaneta americana)

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Adults are approximately 1 1/2 inches long and reddish brown. The wings cover the length of the abdomen. The thorax is marked by faded yellow markings on the edge.

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The female American Cockroach normally glues her egg capsule to hidden surfaces. Each female produces around 1 egg capsule each week containing from 14 to 16 eggs. Each female produces around 800 offspring per year on average.

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When indoors, the American cockroach is associated with warm dark moist environments such as floor drains and pipe chases. They are often found in sewers and can often be found around manhole covers. This species can be a common pest associated with hospitals, food processing plants and other large industrial facilities.

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Oriental Cockroach(Blatta orientalis)

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Adult Oriental cockroaches are about 1 inch in length. They are dark brown to black with a shiny appearance to their exoskeleton. Females have functionless wing pads and males have wings that cover 3/4 of their abdomen.

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The female Oriental cockroach deposits her egg capsule on a protected surface near a food supply. She does not glue her egg capsule. Females produce on average of 8 egg capsules containing 16 eggs each.

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Oriental cockroaches prefer dark moist areas such as crawl spaces and damp basements. They can be found outside in bark mulch and under leaves. This species is seldom found on upper areas of buildings. They are generally found outside during warm weather, but will tend to migrate indoors during dry conditions by crawling under doors and entering through gaps in the structure.

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Brown-banded Cockroach(Supella longipalpa)

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Adult male Brown-banded cockroaches are about 1/4 inch in length and light brown with fully developed wings. The females are smaller in length and the wings do not cover the entire abdomen. Both adults and nymphs have brownish bands that run across the base and middle of the abdomen. The adult males will fly when disturbed.

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The female Brown-banded cockroach carries her egg capsule for about 30 hours prior to attaching it in hidden areas on walls, etc. The female will produce around 14 egg capsules in her lifetime each containing around 13 eggs.

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Brown-banded cockroaches prefer warm, dry environments and can be commonly found in refrigerator motor housings, upper cabinets, closets, dressers, picture frames and other areas. It is common to find them closer to the ceiling than the floor.

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Smokey Brown Cockroach(Periplaneta fuligionsa)

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Smokey brown cockroaches are about 1 1/2 inches in length and dark mahogany brown in color. The adults have fully developed wings and can fly. The young nymphs have long antennae which are white at the tip.

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The Smokey brown cockroach female can produce around 17 egg capsules each containing about 24 eggs. Females attach their egg capsule in protected areas within a day of production.

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Smokey brown cockroaches prefer warm moist environments protected from the elements. This species is prone to dehydration. They can be found in tree holes, beneath ground cover, around gutters, soffits and eaves. On the interior they can be found in attics of structures.

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Turkestan Cockroach(Blatta lateralis)

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Turkestan cockroaches are about 1 inch in length and dark brown to black in color. They have cream colored markings along the edge of the body and behind the head. Females have light colored stripes along the edge of their wings. Males are smaller than females with yellowish wings that extend beyond the tip of the abdomen. They are also known as the red runner cockroach or the rusty red cockroach.

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The Turkestan cockroach female can produce up to 25 egg capsules each containing around 17 eggs.

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Turkestan cockroaches typically inhabit in-ground containers such as water meters, irrigation, and hollow block walls. They do invade structures on occasion.

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Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach(Parcoblatta pennsylvanica)

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Pennsylvania Wood cockroach males are 1 inch long, dark brown in color. The sides of the thorax and front half of the wings are margined with yellow. The males have wings longer than the body and can fly but do not sustain flight for extended periods. Females are about 3/4 inch long with wings that cover about 1/3 to 2/3 of the abdomen.

They can be brought into homes with firewood, but mostly become a nuisance during mating season that occurs in May and June. Males are attracted to lights at night and can gain access indoors. They rarely breed indoors, but with firewood stored indoors, homes in wooded areas and cedar shake shingles, they can become a nuisance.

Cockroach Solutions Knoxville, TN

Call Epituer today for your FREE business or home pest control and exterminator evaluation. We offer quality cockroach extermination at an affordable price. The first step in eliminating cockroaches is identifying the species of cockroach you are dealing with and coming up with the correct solution. Click here for Epituer's approach to cockroach elimination and pricing.